Helldorado Was Our Family Tradition
By Margie Drew, Las Vegas

Imagine my surprise when I opened the Review Journal on May 27th to see a full-page color photo dating back to 1964 of my daughter Peggy Ann Regenhardt. Peggy was second runner-up in the Helldorado Beauty Pageant that year. What the article didn't say was that she attained the title of Miss Sands Hotel in that same parade. Two years later my second daughter Candyce Regenhardt was Miss Progress Days of 1966, climaxing the North Las Vegas Jaycee's 13 annual Progress Days.

We first came to Las Vegas in 1958 to be near my mother, a cashier at Thrifty, and my father Drew Page, who was a Strip musician. I was a bartender for 26 years at the Palomino Club and later at the Hilton Hotel. I was also Ms. Senior Las Vegas in 1999 and 2000. My philosophy won first place in the Ms. Senior Nevada Pageant 2000.

All five of my kids went to school here. Now my grandchildren go to school here. Between the years of 1964 and 1995, someone from our family marched in the parade or rode on a float -either one of my children, one of my grandchildren, or sometimes me. In 1994 our family had three people in the parade: two grandchildren and me. The Helldorado Parade was a family tradition and a lot of fun for all of us.

I was glad to see the Helldorado parade was a big hit on its resurrection. I hope to see it again next year.
Posted 6/20/05